Over recent years, Bluefin tuna have gone from heavy over-exploitation to progressive recovery, thanks to a massive international effort led by the EU. To ensure continued sustainable management of the Bluefin tuna stock, the European Commission is committed to implement and even go beyond the international control measures for catches during the 2017 main fishing season.

During the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) meeting in Madrid from 20 to 22 February, agreement was reached among ICCAT Contracting Parties on the allocation of fishing quotas for Mediterranean Swordfish as part of an agreement under the recovery plan for this species put forward by the European Commission and adopted by ICCAT last year.

The EU is concerned by IATTC's failure to adopt a robust, science-based conservation measure for tropical tuna in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. A last-minute agreement reached last week applies a catch limit for certain fisheries in 2017, but falls short of what is needed to guarantee long-term sustainable management of tuna stocks. Moreover, despite EU support for a plan to reduce fleet overcapacity in the region, capacity continues to increase.

EU ministers have reached an agreement on fishing opportunities for 2017 in the Atlantic, North Sea and Black Sea, following discussions at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council on 12 and 13 December. Karmenu Vella, the EU Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, presented the Commission's proposals, which were the basis for the negotiations.

EU Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Karmenu Vella will present the Commission's proposals for fixing fishing opportunities for 2017 for the Atlantic, North Sea and Black Sea to the Agriculture and Fisheries Council on 12-13 December.